If you are a journalist, entrepreneur or involved in the business side of the media a fellowship could help you develop your ideas with financial support.
Here is a list a reputable paid journalism fellowships in the United States for American and/or non-Americans. They are for mid career professionals.
Note that these are not master’s programs. The word fellowship is increasingly being used to sell programs. In these cases you are called a ‘fellow’, but you are essentially a tuition paying master’s student. Examples include the University of Toronto’s Munk School and the CUNY graduate school of journalism in NYC.
Application deadlines are generally in the fall of each year.
Harvard University: Nieman Foundation
Location:
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Money:
“Most Nieman Fellows receive a stipend of $65,000 paid over a nine-month period to cover living costs. The Nieman Foundation also provides housing, childcare, and health insurance allowances based on the number and ages of family members.”
About:
“A Nieman Fellowship is an extraordinary, transformative learning opportunity open to journalists working in all media in every country around the world. Those selected for the program spend two full semesters at Harvard auditing classes with some of the university’s greatest thinkers, participating in Nieman events and collaborating with peers. Nieman Fellows are also able to audit classes at other local universities including MIT and Tufts.”
“Each year, the Nieman Foundation awards paid fellowships to up to 24 journalists working in print, broadcast, digital and audiovisual media. Journalists and other professionals working in positions that support journalism, such as the business or technology departments of news companies, are welcome to apply for one of the foundation’s short-term Visiting Fellowships.”
Learn more:
nieman.harvard.edu/fellowships
Stanford University: John S. Knight Journalism Fellowship
Location:
Stanford, California
Money:
“stipend of $65,000. In addition to the stipend, we provide fellows with additional funds designed to help with specific costs, such as housing, health insurance, child care and expenses related to work on their journalism challenges.”
About:
“up to 20 fellows from around the world and bring them together for 10 months (September to June) at Stanford University”
Learn More:
jsk.stanford.edu/become-a-fellow
University of Michigan: Knight-Wallace Fellows
Location:
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Money:
“$70,000 for U.S. fellows (stipends for international fellows vary) and opportunities for our fellow’s partners, spouses and children.”
About:
“12 U.S. journalists and six international colleagues.”
“Extensive travel is a core component of the Knight-Wallace experience.”
Learn More:
Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program
Location:
At a host American university of college.
Money:
Tuition, English language training (if required), living allowance, insurance, travel and more.
About:
“Program encourages Fellows to travel away from their host campus to learn more about American culture and to network with their American peers.”
Non-Americans only.
Learn More:
Yale University: Yale World Fellow
Location:
New Haven, Connecticut
Money:
“stipend to cover the costs of living…furnished apartment…insurance…travel from home country”
About:
“brings 16 accomplished, mid-career, global leaders to Yale’s flagship leadership development program for a four-month immersive transformational journey.”
Non-Americans only.
Learn More:
BuzzFeed News/Columbia Journalism School Investigative Reporting Fellowship For Journalists Of Color And Other Diverse Backgrounds
Location:
New York City
Money:
“stipend of $85,000, plus benefits and related expenses for one year.”
About:
“give mid-career journalists of color and other diverse backgrounds the opportunity to tackle big, investigative stories and to improve their skills by auditing courses at the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism.”
“candidates must have a well-formed proposal for an investigative story or series that exposes a major abuse of power, betrayal of trust, or systemic problem…The story or stories will be published by BuzzFeed News and BuzzFeed.com, and we are open to co-publishing with the reporter’s home publication.”
Learn More:
buzzfeed.com/buzzfeednews/buzzfeed-newscolumbia-journalism-school-investigative-report